As part of our services to women and their families we have a complementary Child Watch program. Child Watch is available for anyone attending an appointment or class. It is open to all, but please note, during peak times we reserve the right to limit the number children due to staffing, age of children, and space capacity.

So that everyone may enjoy the Child Watch Program, we have some guidelines to ensure that you will have of peace that your child is cared for while they are having a safe and fun experience.

Check In and Out

Each parent must sign his/her own child in with the Child Watch staff. Required information includes:

Picture I.D. (required at check-in & check-out)

Child(ren)’s name & age

Parent’s name

Time enrolled

Activity location

(Parent/Guardian must stay on premises.)

Lengths of Visits

Supervised care is provided for children up to 8 years old. For the safety of our children, no car seats or strollers are permitted in the room.

Children may attend Child Watch up to 1.5 hours per day.

Our Child Watch has a 15-minute cry rule. Our staff is well accustomed to comforting and/or distracting distraught children, however if after 15 minutes they are still inconsolable, the parent will be asked to return for the child.

Youth: Ages 8 -14

Any child 8-14 who is with a younger sibling is permitted to be in the Child Watch Program. At no time are any children allowed to wander the facility without adult supervision.

Teens over 14

For any teens 14+, if they are not accompanying a younger sibling, they are asked to remain in the waiting area.

Special Needs Children

Guiding Star Tampa will make every reasonable accommodation possible for children with special needs. It is best that you contact the Child Watch Coordinator in advance to make her aware of the needs to discuss what has to be accomplished to involve your child.

Sick Children

For the protection of all children, the following guidelines have been adopted in accordance with the report of the committee on control of infectious diseases of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A child may not participate in Child Watch if any of the following exists and must be by symptom free for 24 hours.

We will not administer medicine of any kind. If your child has special circumstances, allergies, etc. We will keep a doctor’s note on file detailing the non-contagious symptoms. It is also up to the staff’s discretion to decide if they feel your child may not enter Child Watch if they find any of these symptoms in your child.